2005 4.4i Mileage Storage

DR. Tooth · #1 06-16-2006, 02:25 PM

Hello All,

I have a 2005 X5 4.4i... When the car was a month old I replaced the cluster with a 4.8is cluster that cost me an arm and a leg. Well, I recently took it into the dealer and when they scanned the key it showed 17k miles when the car only has 6800. Where is the mileage stored on the car that tell the key what to think... They dealer told me since I did not get my car programmed to take the new cluster, it is mis-reading the mileage and they are unable to help me... They said they would have to register a mileage discrepancy with the DMV if they assisted me in this issue.

At this point, I am willing to take a loss on the 4.8is cluster and get my car to the correct mileage. I have read on here that mileage is stored in the headlight switch? Is that true for the 2005's?

Please Please Help me...............

Thank you all in advance....

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rayxi · #2 06-16-2006, 02:39 PM

Yes, the odometer reading is stored in multiple places. The cluster the LCM and the keys. I think the logic used to reconcile all the values is that the highest value of the three overwrites the other two when you start the vehicle.

I'm surprised your cluster doesn't say 17k as well. Is the tamper dot indicator on? It's a small dot next to the odometer reading.

DR. Tooth · #3 06-16-2006, 02:47 PM

The cluster said 11k on it when I purchased it. The original mileage was less than 1k when I put in the 4.8is cluster. So the mileage addition is correct, but there should only be a little over 6k. The original cluster says only 980 miles on it when I put it back in. When the key is read at the dealer it says 17k. I suppose that I need to replace all the areas of mileage storage? What do I need and where are they in the car... Is there a way to shock all three to reset to correct mileage... I am in a huge pickle here...

And the Tamper DOT is not on when I put the original one in, but on the 4.8is cluster, the dot has been on for the entire time I had the car.

rayxi · #4 06-16-2006, 03:22 PM

So the original cluster is back in the X5? There's not much you can do other than to take your vehicle, all your keys and the clusters to the dealer and explain what happened. Hopefully they can sort it out for you. You may want to call BMW NA and see what they say.

Is there a problem with them registering the mileage discrepancy with the DMV? I ask because I don't know what the implications are.

Coffeeman · #5 06-16-2006, 08:13 PM

Is there a problem with them registering the mileage discrepancy with the DMV? I ask because I don't know what the implications are.[/QUOTE]

Most DMV's will put the discrepancy on the title, which impacts the vehicle's resale value in a negative manner. It will follow the title for the life of the vehicle.

DR. Tooth · #6 06-16-2006, 08:58 PM

Regarding the DMV, that is a huge issue here... It is branded to the VIN and will effect everything from the BMW covered maintenance, the resale and my future trade-in value... I have paid too much for the car to let something like a much nicer looking cluster mess that up for me...

Please help.... I am certain that someone knows how I can fix this!!!

Coffeeman · #7 06-17-2006, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DR. Tooth

Regarding the DMV, that is a huge issue here... It is branded to the VIN and will effect everything from the BMW covered maintenance, the resale and my future trade-in value... I have paid too much for the car to let something like a much nicer looking cluster mess that up for me...

Please help.... I am certain that someone knows how I can fix this!!!

I would imagine that the only way to get the dealer to make all 3 storage points agree, would be for them to order a new, non-4.8 cluster, then code the new cluster to 17k, to agree with the key & wherever else the x has 17k stored. Even though this is about twice the actual mileage, I can't imagine that they would have to brand the title, since your asking them to code a new cluster to a higher, not lower mileage. It probably would have been better if your stock cluster had been fried, in some manner, and the subject of the 4.8 cluster had not been brought up, if you get my drift.

Still sucks that you would have 10k phantom miles, but in the long run, better, I think than a branded title with an odometer flag.

If what you have stated is true, and I don't doubt you, this is a simple case of an unintentional screw-up, and not an attempt at odometer fraud. However, I can understand how a dealer might think that the situation is not exactly Kosher, making them unwilling to "roll back" to the actual, correct mileage. Good luck, and I hope that you can resolve the issue to your satisfaction. Let us know how it finally works out for you.

One other thought...North Hollywood Speedometer will can re-code your stock cluster to a higher mileage (what the key currently has stored), which at least would save you the cost of buying a new one from the dealer. You would have to park the x, have the key read, have the stock odo set to the key odo value, not drive the x until you have re-installed the stock cluster with the higher mileage, so that all 3 storage points would now agree. You can e-mail them at [email protected]

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